Securing means for artificial limbs.



S. H. WATERMAN.

SECURING MEANS FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1918.

1,285,501 Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

E S ES SECURING MEANS FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

Application filed March 6, 1918. Serial No, 220,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. WATER- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, andresident of the city of Seattle, county of. King, and Stateof Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSecuring Means for Artificial Limbs, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to artificial limbs and means for securing them inplace.

The object of m invention is to provide a means for securing anartificial limb which includes the thigh portion, to the body, in suchmanner that it is held more securely in place and with greater comfortto the wearer and particularly to hold it better in place when thewearer sits, stoops, or walks, and materially assists in controlling thelimb entirely by means of the stump of the amputated member.

My invention comprises the novel parts and combinations thereof whichwill hereinafter be defined in the claims. The accompanying drawingsshow the invention in the form of constructionwhich is now preferred byme.

Figure 1 shows my device in its position of use, the same being as seenfrom the front.

Fig. 2 shows the same parts as they would appear when seen from therear.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of protecting the point where thesuspending straps and the thigh member of the artificial member join, soas to prevent pinching of the flesh.

In the practice of securing artificial limbs by some form of harnesswhich extends to and over the shoulder, the weight of the limb issuspended from the shoulder. This is objectionable from at least threeor more standpoints. In the first place it places a load upon theshoulder which becomes burdensome and objectionable, and second,because, when the wearer stoops or sits down, the harness b which thelimb is suspended is slackened in such a manner as to permit the limb tomore or less fall away from the body and it often causes inconvenienceto secure proper seating of the limbs, when regaining upright position.

Due to length of suspending harness there is always more or less slackin the same which permits the limb to slide up and down when walking,necessitating the raising of the shoulder at each step, resulting in anungraceful and ungainly manner of walking, loss of quick control of thelimb, as well as considerable chafing of the stump of the amputated"limb.

Also, 'due to constant movement of the body and harness in walking,these straps cause chafing and irritation at various points of contactwith the body as well as damage to clothing.

By my invention I suspend the limb by means of a strap or belt whichextends to and about the hips and waist. This belt 1 has one end 10secured to the front upper' portion of the thigh section 2. It is placedin. angular position such that its extension will pass over the hip,then across the back, over the other hip and downwardly on an angle tosecure its other end to the upper forward portion of the thigh section,at a point which may be approximately the same as the point of securingthe other end. These two ends may, however, be secured in somewhatseparated positions, if desired.

I 'prefer't'opl'ace at some point in this belt, as for instance thepoint 3, a section of elastic webbing, so that a small amount of givemay be provided. The belt as described, is also preferably divided intotwo or more parts which are secured together by buckle or catch, as atl. The form of device used for securing the two parts is immaterial.

A strap or web 5 is secured to the belt 1 at the back at a point overthe hip and extends downwardly, having its lower end secured to theupper rear portion of the thigh section 2. I also prefer to provide asecond strap 6, which extends over from the belt at a point at the back,substantially the same as that to which the strap 5 is secured,downwardly and forwardly, and at its lower end is secured to the thighsection at the outer or hip side thereof. These straps securely hold thelimb in such manner that no matter how the wearer bends or stoops thelimb is held securely to the body and there is no unseating between thethigh section 2 and the body, and allows full control pf pohe limb bythe stump of the amputated Also, when walking there is no slack in thissuspension thus preventing the limb slipping up or down at each step, asis the case with shoulder suspension devices. The elimination ofshoulder straps causes the leg to be thrown forward in walking entirelyby the stump, which gives a far more natural and graceful walk to thewearer.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a means which I prefer to employ for preventingthe possibility of the flesh being caught between any one of thesestraps andthe upper edge a of the thigh section. This consists ofapplying a short section of webor leather 7' to the inner surface of thethigh section 2, and having it extend upwardly a short distance abovethe upper edge of said thigh section, in position to overlap or lieagainst the inner surface of the web. This furnishes enough resistanceso that when the strap is slackened, the flesh will not be pushed overtive organs which would in any wise cause ill health.

, What I claim as my invention is:

1. A supporting means for artificial limbs comprising a belt extendingacross the back thigh section at the rear.

2. A supporting means for artificial limbs comprising a belt extendingacross the back at the waist, over the hips and then downwardlywith itsends secured to the front upper part of the thigh section of said limb,

and two straps connected with the back sec-- tion of the belt over thelimb and secured to the thigh section of the limb, one at the rear andtoward the inner side thereof and the other toward the outer side of thethigh section.

3. A means for securing and supporting artificial limbs comprising awaist belt in two parts provided-with detachable securing means, bothparts being secured by an end to the front upper part of the thighsection of said limb, and each extending toward its respective hip, saidbelt having an elastic section therein, and straps connecting parts ofsaid belt between and rearwardly of the hips with the upper rearwardparts of the thigh section of said limb.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 28th day of. February, 1918. I

SAMUEL H. WATERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C.

